Draft gear



Dec. 10, 1929. J. E. FORSY'II'H 1,739,134

DRAFT GEAR Filed Dec, 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, 1929. J FQRSYTH 1,739,134

DRAFT GEAR Filed Dec. 6. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFEQE JOSEPH E. FORSYTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO FORSYTI-I DRAFT-GEAR CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DRAFT GEAR Application filed December 6, 1926. Serial No. 152,838.

This invention relates I particularly to draft-gears for use in connection with railway cars.

The primary object is to provide an improved draft-gear of high capacity and which is of improved operation and capable of with standing enormous strain.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a broken plan sectional view showing details of the improved draft-gear; Fig. 2, a broken transverse vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. .8, a perspective View of a spring-cap employed; and Fig. 4, a perspective view of a hollow follower-block employed.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, A designates the substructure of a car, the intermediate longitudinal beams being designated A and A B, B, the front and rear stops, respectively, for the draft-gear, these stops being rigidly secured by the beams A and A C, a yoke which embraces the follower-blocks of the draft-gear and which is connected with a draw-bar C of the car in the usual manner; D, D, the front and rear follower-blocks, respectively; E, E, the front and rear sets of springs, respectively F, F, the front and rear spring-caps, respectively; and G, G, a pair of 'oomplemental lever-sections, which, together, constitute a compensating lever interposed between the spring-caps and the opposed shoulders of the follower-blocks.

I The substructure of the carmay be of standardconstruction, the improved draft-gear being adapted to be mounted thereimbeing housed between the longitudinal beams A and A These beams are shown connected at their bottom portions by cross-members 1 upon which the yoke C is slidably support-ed. A cross-member 2 is disposed above the yoke.

The follower-blocks D and D are of the same construction, but reversed imposition. These blocks are provided with chambers 3 to accommodate the springs and spring-caps. Each block preferably is cast to provide a top wall 4', a bottom wall 5, a plane lateral 0 wall '6, a part-cylindrical wall, or web, 7,

opposed to the wall 6, and an end wall 8, the end walls 8 being embraced by the end portion of the yoke C.

At their inner or adjacent ends, the follower-blocks are provided with end walls 9 which afford stops, or shoulders, which limit the closing action of the draft-gear. The end walls 9 are cut away so as to leave the chambers 3 open at one end. Each end wall 9 is provided with a toothed sector 9. Each of the follower-blocks has a lateral extension formed by extending the top and bottom walls 4 and 5 and the end walls 8 and 9, the respective extensions being designated et 5 8 and 9 The convex portion of the web 7 is backed by intermediate screngthening ribs 7 The wall extensions described terminate in a plane 10 which is adapted to serve as a bearing surface when the block is interposed between the frame-members A and A the outer surface of the wall 6 serving as a similar bearing surface.

Each spring-cap is of the form shown in Fig. 3. Thus, each cap F, for example, is provided with a head 11 having a concave end surface 11 which is provided with horizontal corrugations. Also, the spring-cap is provided at one side with a concavo-conve wall 12 and at the opposite side with a plane wall 13. The walls 12 and 13 constitute the shank of the spring-cap and afford between them a chamber 14 adapted to receive one end of a set of springs. It will be noted from Figs. 2 and 3 that the wall 13 is equipped at its inner side with fillets 13 which serve to brace the wall 18. The fillets taper, as shown in Fig. 3, and have curved inner surfaces which conform to the spring, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The lever which is interposed between the follower-blocks and opposed spring-caps preferablyis composed of the two members G and G, which are capable of moving, or sliding, with relation to each other. This two-member lever acts as a single lever, but is self-adjusting in length, the general purpose being to allow a compensating movement of the members in order that they may adjust themselves properly at all times with respect to their bearings during the pulling and butting operations.

Each lever member has a head portion which provides a convexity having corrugations 15 which register with the corrugations of the concavity 11 of the spring-cap, Also, the lever-member presents opposite the convexity 15 a rack-portion 16 l1avin-g--teeth-- whichregister with the teeth ofgthe sector 9 of the opposed follower bloeknan-d; each;

lever-member is further provided with a shank-portion 17. The toothed portionsiofthe lever-members engage the toothed portions of the follower blocks in the "manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The lever-members are adapted to have limited sliding action-upon each other, and preferably are provided with stud and slot connections 18' which are chiefly useful in facilita'tingthe assembly of the de-.

vice. There is sufiicient play allowed t'orper-' mitthe relative sliding action of the levers members necessary" for the self-adjustment which occurs during the rocking action of the lever. If desired, an integrallever-maybe.

4' employed, althouglrthe two-member lever'is' much preferred. I

It is desirable, in practiceytoiplace the springs under in t al compression and, for

convenience in. assembling the... draft gem',

' rods 19 are employed for this purpose; Thesev I draft-gear, especially at the'corrugatedcon cavo'convei: bearing .surfaces betWeen==the lever-members and the spring-capsx The springs resist the collapsing action ofthe draft gear and later restore the :dr afngear to the extended position. UnClfxlOl1fllI1g ac v tion, a similar result iS -Obtained ;:bl1t1 iinthiS case the follower blocl;'iDtaremains against? the stopsB while th'e-followersblo'ckaD moves away from the stops B.

Itinaybe added that in;.the,,-operation 'of the gear, the heavy, friction exertedbetween they-corrugations of "the leverwandfof the spring-caps tend: to, rotate the ;spring caps in a counter clockwise direction, as ;viewed, in Fig 1.1 Th'ils tendency ,is, unteraetedi spe-i ciallyiby reaction forces between thmjpart-l cylindrical webs 7 'and' the remote end tor tio'ns of the sl1ank=walls"12;,*and alsb tyreactivelforces be't-weeir theinner end portions of the walls 13 *ofthe springpaps and the adjacent portions of the walls 6 of the follower-blocks. Thus, it will be understood that the lateral walls 6 and 7 of the followerblocks are subjected to heavy strains and frictional forces. The spring-caps will. nevertheless, adjust themselves to. compensate for wear.

The-follower-blocks are staunchly constructed and welh adaptedv to overcome the turnin moments exerted u on the s rin 23 A 2:)

caps during the use of the draft-gear.

lt'iwill be understood from Figs. 1 and 2 that the spring-caps F and F partially overlap-each other -crosswise of the draft-gear.

The same is true with respect to the chambe'rs 3 .of the followersblocks, *thus" enabling springs'of relatively 'large'diameterto be employed ina construction having a rockinglever interposed between the spring-caps and thezfo'llower-blocks in: which the spring-caps are housed. it" has been demonstrated that the improved device iscapableof-withstand ing bufiing and pulling stressesofenormous magnitude.

The present invention constitutes animproyed modification of the invention disclosed iir-mylli S. PatentNo. 1,679,301

The foregoing detailed description has been iven forclearness ofamderstandin 6 only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appendedclaims should be construed as broadly as permissible; in View of the prior art;

hat I regard as new,and desire to secure' by Letters,Patent,.is: I

1.111 a draft gear, the combination of a pair of opposed follower-blocks,.each'presenting an inner end-bearing abutmentrand each having 'a chambenprovide'dr with opposed lateral walls, spring-caps mounted insaid chambers having shank-portions confined between said lateral' walls, a spring confined -betweensaid'spring capsand the remote ends of said chambers, and a 'roek 'le'ver-having head-portions confined between said springcaps and the opposed' bearing abutments of the follower-blocks. I V

'2. a .draft gear, a pair ofopposed-follower-blocks provided with chamb'ers'having at one side part-cylindrical lateral walls-and at the other sidepl'a ne lateral :walls, springcaps; mounted in said chambers having hollow shank-portions. ;provided with lateral walls. engaging the lateral walls of said. chambers, springs hdused i'ri'said' chambers and extendingiinto' the hollow shanks of said spring-caps, and a roekleverhaving head-portions confined between said' spring-caps and" end=abutments with --which said-,follower-blocks' are equipped. e I

3; "Ina draft gear, a pairof opposed fol: lower-blocks havinglongitudinal chambers wlri ch'gare out -ofalignment with each other, saidchambers -having walls on all sides and at the remote" ends of the blocks-,iisaideham bers being open at adjacent ends, springcaps mounted in said chambers and provided with hollow shanks engaging opposed lateral walls of said chambers, springs confined in said chambers and extending into said hollow shanks, said spring-caps being provided at adjacent sides with concavities and horizontal corrugations at said concavities, and a rocklever having head-portions presenting corrugated convexities received by said corrugated concavities, and toothed connections between the head-portions of said lever and the inner end-abutments of said follower-blocks.

4. In a draft-gear, a follower-block having therein a chamber open at one end and otherwise provided with closed walls, said followerblock having a lateral extension at one side of said chamber equipped with a toothed end-abutment.

5. In combination in a draft-gear, a pair of opposed follower-blocks having chambers out of alignment with each other and open at adjacent ends, each of said chambers being provided with opposed lateral walls, springcaps in said chambers provided with hollow shanks having lateral walls engaging the lateral walls of said chambers, springs confined within said chambers and extending into said hollow shanks, said spring-caps being provided with horizontally corrugated concavities, and a two-member lever confined between said spring-caps and end-abutments with which said follower-blocks are provided, said lever-members being provided with corrugated convexities engaging said corrugated concavities and being provided with toothed portions engaging teeth with which said abutments are equipped, said members of said lever being relatively shiftable to permit selfadjustment.

JOSEPH E. FORSYTH. 

